IN LONELINESS. In lonely days when solitude Contrasts with cheerier days gone by, The dream of that dear yesterday When work was paid by swift reward, When doors of fortune, quick to ope Made light the burden, smoothed the hard Steep path and cheated us of pain; Would those bright days might dawn again! And yet the memory of their shine Throws on our gloom a gleam divine. -Harper's Bazar. Ten Commandments of Study. SUPT. C. S. COLER, CONCORD, N. C. Supt. C. S. Coler, of the Concord, N. C., schools, is contributing to the local paра pers a series of articles on educational sub jects. This should result in much good to the schools of the town. We copy from one of these articles his "Ten Commandments of Study:" 1. There must be order and comfort. As the plant cannot grow without warmth and sunshine, neither can the mind do its best work in confusion and disor der. The study room should be kept warm, well ventilated, and well lighted. Defective eyesight often hinders pupils in their efforts to study, and glasses beParents and teachers come necessary. should see to this. The good student will have a program of study periods as well as of recitation periods. 4. Learn to study alone. Too many children are in the habit of getting their lessons out together. They go in flocks, gossip, chew gum, crack nuts and eat candy, and come up the next day without their lessons. The habit of self reliance is destroyed by this kind of work. We want men and women who can think and decide for themselves, and who, when settled in life, will not be running from house to house to ask their neighbor's advice. 5. Rest by a change of subject or of position. There is no doubt that "much study is wearisome to the flesh." Recreation of some sort is necessary for everyone. But a change of subject, from literature to science, from geometry to history, is often as good as a rest. 6. Master each point as you go. Getting a lesson is like shoveling coal. You make most progress when you get down to the bottom and take everything "clean as as you go." 7. Study to retain. If we study for the purpose of reciting only, the mind will behas lost its power. come like a sieve, or like a magnet that 8. Study to express what you learn. A lesson is not really mastered till we have thought it over in our own words 2. Concentration of mind is necessary and decided how we will tell it or express to study. This concentration may come from interest, but for the most part it should come from will-power and from a sense of duty. It is not a good idea to study only those things that we like to study. The studies that we like the least may be the best for us in the end. 3. There must be a regular and definite time for study. A half hour given regularly each day to a study will accomplish much more in a term than two hours a day given irregularly. it when called upon to recite. 9. Be careful to use the "scraps of time." 10. Study to assimilate what is read. We should get something out of what better. The facts of science, of biograwe study that will make us stronger and phy, of history, are not enough of themselves. From them we ought to get inspiration to do something and to be something in life. People who are educated ought to do better and more helpful than tion ought to teach us to pray the prayer those who are not educated. True educaof Socrates, "Grant, O merciful gods that I may be beautiful within!"-North Carolina Journal of Ed. Can You Afford It? It ap The of life, but there is a bread and butter side to education we must not lose sight of. A Is a question of broad import. man must live, and to live he must make plies to what you should not do. Some- himself useful in some way to his fellowtimes the question, "Can I afford not to?" men. The greatest usefulness gets the has a deeper significance than the question, highest pay. The most paying positions "Can I afford to?" Every human being are beld by those who are best qualified to with a mind capable of reasoning, has an fill them. Good men do not seek opportuniideal of comfortable and happy conditions. ties. They do not have to, for opportuniThose ideals are not all equally high, and ties seek them. Five thousand dollar men some of them may be founded on wrong are not seeking positions, but five thousand motives, but they all spring from one in- dollar positions have to seek men. nate common principle-the desire for practical world wants practical men, not happiness. idealists, not dreamers and it has to pay a high price, because the material is scarce. The need of a practical education as a stepping stone to success in life was never so essential as at the present time. Business is taking more colossal forms; its conditions are becoming more complex and it requires so much more capital for the aggressive and defensive warfare of competition that the man who was considered a business giant in the old times would be considered a mere pigmy now. In view of these conditions a young man takes a terrible risk when he decides to engage in the battle of life without the preparation afforded by a practical business education. Now, education trains the mind for a double purpose. It enlarges the scope of enjoyment, intensifies its delights, and it provides the facilities for satisfying the desires it creates. It is expected that a well educated man will have more wants to be satisfied, but it is also expected that he will be enough better paid to enable him to gratify his varied tastes. This is so well understood that we at once suspect some radically wrong conditions if a man who is well educated lives and dies a poor man. Education presupposes a higher condition for the individual and a better reward for his work. But education costs money, time, effort and application, and can a young man afCan you afford to throw away fifty or ford this expenditure of money, time and one hundred thousand dollars for the pureffort? If it took half a life-time to pre-pose of avoiding the small expenditure of pire one for the enjoyment of the other money necessary to secure a practical bushalf, it might be a question inviting serious iness education? Ignorance is a frightful consideration, but when the period is lim expense that draws on you every day of ited to a few years, at a period before the your life. Can you afford to be ignorant? mind or the body is ready to engage in the Can you afford not to educate? real work of life, the question is on a par with that of a farmer who queries whether he can afford to waste the seed necessary to obtain a crop. Can you afford to get an education when without it the chances of success are all against you? Can you afford not to do it? But what kind of an education is most clearly identified with success in life and, consequently, happi That education that is most univer sally applied. A classical, a scientific or a polite education heightens the enjoyments These are vital questions. You have all your lifetime to consider what kind of a necktie is most becoming to you, but the matter of an education must be settled now. Don't take any chances that may end in a crop of regrets. Success deserved is success half won. Deserve success by educating for it, and educate for it in the best way, by attending an institution that makes a specialty of preparing young men and women for success in life.-Barnes Business College Journal. ON GUARD. If you your lips Five things observe with care: To whom you speak, And how, and when, and where. If you your ears Would save from jeers. These things keep meekly hid: "Myself." and "I," And "mine," and "my." And how I do," or "did." -Selected. Report of the Southwest Teachers' Asso ciation. HELD AT BOLIVAR, Nov. 25-26, 1898. Preceding the regular sessions of the association, the usual declamatory contest of the representatives of the various high schools of this section was held. The following were the contestants: Misses Jessie Clement, Pierce City; Myrtol Melton, Marionville: Anda Stockton, Dadeville; Myrtle O'Neal, Republic; Ethel Toalson, Walnut Grove; Bessie Morrow, Buffalo; Estella Christie, Butler; Claude Askren, Bolivar; Messrs. Marvin Ross. Morris ville; John Gauss, Carthage; Irby Murray, Ash Grove. The judges awarded the prizes, two beautiful gold watches, to Miss Christie, as the best of the ladies, and Mr. Gauss, as best of the dentlemen. On the next evening these two winners contested for the Chaplin med. al. Miss Christie was awarded the prize. Friday morning the regular session began, with Supt. S. P. Bradley, Springfield, in the chair. Addresses of welcome were delivered by Hon. T. O. Bogert and Hon. J. B. Upton, of Bolivar. Prin. C. P. Howland responded on the part of the association. Literature in the Grades, by Miss Ella Helm, Webb City; Literature in the High School, by Miss Daisy Ford, Springfield, Supt. G. M. Holiday, Clinton, Miss Esther Pratt, Carthage; Story-Telling in Teaching Literature, Miss Inez McKee, Clinton; The Laboratory Method in Literature, Supt. A. W. Duff, Nevada, Dr. E. W. Doran, Clinton, Supt. D. L. Newkirk, Pierce City. Reading circle work as discussed by Supt. J. M. Stevenson, Neosho, M. M. Maynard, Pax, Miss Cora H. Mitchell and Supt. S. E. Stout, was of considerable interest. Friday evening, following the contest for the Chaplin medal, two interesting addresses were delivered by Hon. R. L. Yeager, Kansas City, and Dr. J. C. Jones, Columbia. After these addresses, the teachers were invited to a reception by the pupils of the Bolivar schools. Refreshments were served, and all had a pleasant time. Saturday morning supplementary work in the schools, such as nature study, agriculture, etc., called out some interesting discussions and papers by Prin. A. C. Farley, Billings, Prin. A. L. Long, Walnut Grove, Supt. J. F. Starr, Butler, Prof. B. P. Richardson, Springfield, Supt. S. A. Hoover. Bolivar, Pres. Whitaker, Weaubleau, and others. The writer could not attend the Saturday afternoon session, and did not learn what was done. Clinton was selected as the place of the next meeting. The association will be well cared for there. The hotels can accommodate two or three hundred and will charge much less than the only small hotel at Bolivar. On the whole, this was a very pleasant and profitable session. Not so many were enroll ed as at some former meetings, but still the attendance was good. The program was rather too much crowded. Almost no time was allowed for general discussion. The following officers were elected for the next year: The subjects for discussion by the association were divided into five general heads: 1. The citizens of Bolivar made every effort to Physical culture. 2. Literature. 3. Matters entertain the association, and opened their pertaining to courses of study. 4. Matters homes to the teachers. The hotel accommo pertaining to professional work. 5. Miscella-dations, however, were very poor, owing to the limited capacity of the one small hotel of the neous subjects. Under the first general divistown. ion, Prin. C. P. Howland, Springfield, in the absence of Miss S. Schwab, to whom the subject was assigned, discussed physical culture, following which Miss Carter, Springfield, gave an interesting drill with two large classes of students. Papers on Shop Work, by Supt. W. J. Stevens, Carthage, and Military Organiza-City. tions in Schools, by Com. W. W. Thomas, Marsh field, completed the first general subject. The greater part of Friday afternoon was given to a very interesting discussion of literature. Literature in the country schools was discussed by Miss Leona Simmons, Brookline; President, Supt. J. M. Taylor, Greenfield. Vice president, Com. John Turrentine, Springfield. Second vice-president, Miss Ella Helm, Webb Third vice-president, Nannie Trally, Spring. field. Cor. Secretary, Supt. G. M. Holiday, Clinton. Rec. Secretary, Leona Simmons, Brookline. Railroad Secretary, Prin. J. C. Pike, Nevada. Treasurer, Supt. J. F. Starr, Butler. Memory Gems. Wine has drowned more than the sea.-Publius Syrus. Wisdom is often concealed in mean attire.Yonge. Wit is the salt of conversation, not the food.--Hazlitt. There is nothing good or evil save in the will.-Epictetus. He who is firm in will moulds the world to himself.-Goethe. MISSOURI. Mighty are thy grand resources, Blackie's Rules of Conduct. In the New Age, Prof. Frederick A. Atkins states that some years ago Prof. Blackie sent The door-step to the temple of wisdom is a him the "Rules of Conduct" which had knowledge of our ignorance-Spurgeon. guided his own life and had contributed largely to any good work he had been able to achieve. They are as follows: Her voice was ever soft, gentle and low; an excellent thing in a woman.-Shakespeare. Wisdom makes but a slow defence against 1. Never indulge the notion that you have trouble, though at last a sure one-Goldsmith. any absolute right to choose the sphere or O, how wonderful is the human voice! It is the circumstances in which you are to put indeed the organ of the soul.-Longfellow. forth your powers of social action; but let The next best thing to being witty one's your daily wisdom of life be in making a self, is to be able to quote another's wit.-good use of the opportunities given you. 2. We live in a real and a solid, and a truth Bovee. That action is best which procures the great-ful world. In such a world only truth in the est happiness for the greatest numbers.-long run can hope to prosper. Therefore, avoid lies, mere show and sham, and hollow Hutchinson. superficiality of all kinds, at best a painted We enjoy ourselves only in our work, our doing, and our best doing is our best enjoy. ment.-Jacobi. lie. 3. The nobility of life is work. We live in in a working world. The lazy and idle man All true work is sacred; in all true work, does not count in the plan of campaign. "My were it but true hand labor, there is some-Father worketh hitherto, and I work." Let thing of divineness.-Carlyle. By wisdom wealth is won; But riches purchased wisdom yet for none. The stream from wisdom's well, Knowledge is proud that he has learned so Wisdom'is humble that he knows no more. Wise men ne'er sit and bewail their loss, Who does the best his circumstances allows, more. Laws and institutions are constantly tending to gravitate. Like clocks, they must be occasionally cleaned, and wound up, and set to true time. Henry Ward Beecher. Thine to work as well as pray. that text be enough. 4. Never forget St. Paul's sentence, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." This is the steam of the social machine. 5. But the steam requires regulation. It is regulated by intelligence and moderation. Healthy action is always a balance of forces, and all extremes are dangerous; the excess of a good thing is often more dangerous in its social consequences than the excess of what is radically bad. 6. Do one thing well. "Be a whole man," as Chancellor Thurlow said, "do one thing at one time." Make clean work, and leave no tags. Allow no delays when you are at a thing; do it and be done with it. 7. Avoid miscellaneous reading. Read little that you do not care to remember, or that you do not mean to use. 8. Never desire to appear clever and make a show of your talents before men. Be honest, loving, kindly, and sympathetic in all you say and do. Cleverness will flow from you naturally, if you have it; and applause will come to you unsought from those who know what to applaud; but the applause of fools is to be teachers for the rural schools, and last, but shunned. not least, it would do away with so much kinsfolks position, petty jealousies and favoritism. I am aware that there are some who will oppose this idea on the ground that it is undemocratic and claim that it has too great a tendency to centralization of powers. Now I believe in democracy from start to finish, but when we take into consideration the ten thousand school districts, with over thirty thousand members of school boards with the ten thousand district clerks, we think this is 9. Above all things, avoid fault-finding and a habit of criticism. To see your own faults distinctly will do you good; to scan those of your brother curiously can serve only to foster conceit and to pamper insolence. Learn to look on the good side of all things, and let the evil drop. When you smell the rose, learn to forget the thorn. Never condemn the conduct of your fellow mortal till you have put yourself dramatically into his place, and taken a full measure of his capacities, democracy in excess. The state of Missouri his opportunities and his temptations. Let your rule in reference to your social sentiments be simply this-pray for the bad, pity the weak, enjoy the good, and reverence both the great and the small, as playing his part aptly in the divine symphony of the universe. --Pennsylvania School Journal. has one hundred and fourteen counties, and the counties are generally divided into eight municipal townships. This would give us about nine hundred and twelve organizations, allowing six directors to each organization. This would give us about five thousaud, four hundred and seventy-two members of school boards with nine hundred and twelve clerks. Needed Legislation for the Rural Schools. Such a system would certainly be near enough EDITOR MISSOURI SCHOOL JOURNAL: DEAR SIR:-Being placed upon the program for the discussion of a paper entitled "Needed Legislation for Rural Schools," at the meeting of the S. E. Mo. T. A.. held at Fredericktown, Mo., Nov.24, 25 and 26, 98, and not being able to attend I here with submit my views on "Organization," to your readers through the columns of the Journal. In speaking of organization, the first thing that I would do would be to do away with the present district system and in its place I would make the municipal township the unit of organization, with three or some multiple of three directors elected for three years, one-third expiring every year. Said directors to have charge of all schools in said township with power to levy a tax of 10 cents on $100 valuation above the 40 cents already fixed by the statute without a vote of the taxpayer for the maintenance of the schools in said township. All property to be assessed the same. School houses to be built not more than four miles apart, children to attend the school nearest them. I would have the school term to be at least nine months, all schools to begin on the same day and end at the same time as near as possible. Said board to employ all teachers suitable for each respective school in said township. to the people and we think with better re- W. G. ATCHISON. MISSPENT TIME. There is no remedy for time misspent- For lofty duties, not for selfishness. Life and its choicest faculties were given. Man should be even better than he seems And shape his acts and discipline his mind To walk adoring earth with hope of heaven. -SIR ARTHUR DE VERE. Man Must Work. It is true that "no man can escape labor and live happily. The law of nature is that a certain quantity of work is necessary to procure a certain amount of good of any kind. If a man wants knowledge, he must toil for it; if food he must toil for it." Work is essential to the highest happiness. Put that down in some place where you will not forget it, for it is one of God's laws. Thank him for the priv The arguments in favor of such an organiza-ilege and the power of working, and never retion are so numerous that it is impossible to give all in a brief article. I will give a few: pine because your lot is one of labor. The idle, who live in luxury, know less of real hap piness than the industrious poor, whose pleas 1. It would prevent school boards and directors from clashing with each other in re-ures are the reward of their own labor. A gard to boundary lines, etc. shirk and dawdler has no place in the respect 2. It would secure a better corps of trained of those whose respect is worth having.-Ex. |